Heartbreaking story behind Kate Middleton’s star earrings – after ‘struggles’ with her Diana £390k engagement ring

ALL eyes are on the Princess of Wales when she steps out in public and she will often choose her outfits with great care.

This was particularly true of what she chose to wear for World Mental Health day – as there was a very poignant reason behind her earrings.

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When Kate Middleton stepped out for the engagement in October 2023, she chose to wear earrings that had been given to her by a grieving mum last June.

Sarah Renton’s daughter, Isobelle Phipps, 17, was tragically found dead at her home in Crowthorne, Berks., in April last year, after struggling with depression.

The earrings had been created by Isobelle’s cousin Sophie McGown, who is the owner of EAR SASS, in honor of her “shining star” Issy.

Sophie has donated £5 from the sale of each pair of the £25.50 Issy Star earrings to the mental health charity, Brave Mind.

Weeks after Issy’s death, the “rugby mad” teenager’s mum Sarah meets Princess Kate at Maidenhead Rugby Club, where Issy used to play.

The pair shared an emotional moment as they hugged on the field, and Kate told the group she’d wear the jewelery after hearing the story of Issy’s tragic death, they said.

True to her words, Kate wore the earrings twice last year, once on World Mental Health Day and the second days later at a SportsAid mental fitness workshop in Marlow.

The “Kate Effect” helped sales to boom, and over £10,000 was raised for Brave Mind.

Sophie has now created a special new pair of earrings in honor of the Princess of Wales, called The Catherine, which are £27 and available to preorder.

She wrote: “We wanted to honor HRH Princess Catherine with her very own pair of EARSASS.

“We are so grateful for how she has helped us to raise thousands for BRAVEMIND (Our chosen charity www.bravemind.co.uk) through wearing our ISSY STAR earrings and we will be eternally grateful.”

Perthshire-born jewelery designer Sophie was even at Kate’s Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey last December.

Speaking to HELLO!’s Royal Club about Kate wearing her Issy earrings: “If I could use one word to describe how it made me feel, it made me feel strong. We were going through such heartbreak and grief when Issy took her own life .

“It just gave me this incredible strength because I wanted so much to raise so much money for the charity in Issy’s honor when Kate wore them.

“Not only wore them, but on a day that was so significant to me and my family [World Mental Health Day] and on a day that we knew was pending that was going to be very difficult.”

This follows Kate’s ‘struggles’ with the £390k Princess Diana sapphire engagement ring.

Before she passed in 1997, Princess Diana left instructions for the division of her glittering jewelery collection.

Not only wore them, but on a day that was so significant to me and my family [World Mental Health Day] and on a day that we knew was pending that was going to be very difficult

Sophie McGownon being touched that Kate wore the poignant earrings

In a letter of wishes, the royal explained that she wanted it to be given to her two sons in the hope they’d one day pass it onto their future wives.

Her wishes came true in 2010, when Prince William proposed to Kate with arguably the most iconic ring in the royal family – his mother’s 12-carat sapphire engagement ring.

However, a jewelery expert has warned that owning the precious heirloom doesn’t come without its “challenges.”

The sapphire engagement ring is surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds, set in 18-carat white gold, and estimated to be worth £390,000.

But according to Ben Roberts, Managing Director of Clogau – the brand responsible for the Welsh gold that the royals have used to create their wedding rings since 1923 – the upkeep of the ring is extremely difficult.

He told Hello! magazine: “Even without any alterations, caring for an heirloom of such value comes with its own challenges.

“Kate and her team will need to employ careful maintenance, with regular inspections and in-depth evaluations, gentle cleaning to restore sheen, and, if necessary, expert repairs to ensure its longevity.

“That way, she can continue to wear it every day and maintain a constant connection to the past while grounding her in the present as a beloved senior member of the Royal Family.”

It was previously reported that Kate had the sapphire ring adjusted as it was a little too big.

However, the mum-of-three reportedly denied this during an event in Wales in 2023 and told fans: “It’s the same ring and it was exactly the same size when I tried it on.

“I’m honored to wear it, I never sadly got to meet her.”

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